Its darkness melt, its coldness warm,
The lost restore, the ill transform,
That flower and fruit henceforth may be
Its grateful offering, worthy Thee.
1851.



QUESTIONS OF LIFE

And the angel that was sent unto me, whose name was Uriel,
gave me an answer and said,
"Thy heart hath gone too far in this world, and thinkest thou
to comprehend the way of the Most High?"
Then said I, "Yea, my Lord."
Then said he unto me, "Go thy way, weigh me the weight of
the fire or measure me the blast of the wind, or call me again the
day that is past."--2 ESDRAS, chap. iv.

A bending staff I would not break,
A feeble faith I would not shake,
Nor even rashly pluck away
The error which some truth may stay,
Whose loss might leave the soul without
A shield against the shafts of doubt.

And yet, at times, when over all
A darker mystery seems to fall,
(May God forgive the child of dust,
Who seeks to know, where Faith should trust!)